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Jonathan Frum
|religion=HumanistWhen asked about his religious stance, Frum answered he believed only in humanity |language=English, French, German |home=Little Europe, Noble City |placebirth=Little Europe, Noble City |datebirth=March 2, 1942 |datedeath= |placedeath= |function= }} Jonathan Frum is a Lovian journalist, actor and filmmaker famous for his satirical works in which he denounces all kinds of human abuses. He was born on the second of March 1942 in Little Europe where he still resides todayFrum was born at his parental home (5 Water-lilly Avenue) which he later inherited.. Frum has published over a hundred articles and made altogether four plays and one movie. Recently, he started the Jonathan Frum Foundation which honors people that fight all kinds of abuses with an award of 5000 USD and is funded by his personal fortune. Frum is a renowned figure in the cultural community and a personal friend to prime minister Yuri Medvedev. He also holds a position at the Blackburn University. Recently it became known to the public that Frum is a homosexual. People never suspected because they thought his career kept him from having a relationship. 'People never asked' he explained. Frum claims this is a personal matter and that he never owed anyone an explanation. Frum joined Zhoosh, an organization dedicated to advocating gay rights. Personal life Jonathan Frum is an important figure for Lovian culture and journalism. He started his career as an art critic in the Noble City Times and later on got his own weekly column. Frum also was offered the possibility to teach art history, aesthetics and modern drama at the Blackburn University in 1964. He accepted the post and remained connected to the university up till now. Due to his age however he only gives occasional lectures. Frum is often cited for his broad interpretation of art.'Most people know they can make art, they just have trouble convincing everyone else'. Frum is a personal friend to prime minister Yuri Medvedev who asked him several times if he (Frum) would join the Progressive Democrats. Frum refused every time, though he admits to support the party policy.(The PD is) 'by far the most decent party in the country, it's just that I'm no politics man - I can't pretend.' He recently was accepted as a member of the CPL.nm though he did not actually buy a member card. Frum remains today one of the most known critics of contemporary society in Lovia. He since long refused to take part in governmental politics and instead sought to educate the people by his lectures, writings and plays. After the 2011 reform of Congress he got however elected as MOTC for the CPL.nm. Recently it became known to the public that Frum is a homosexual. People never suspected because they thought his career kept him from having a relationship. 'People never asked' he explained. Frum claims this is a personal matter and that he never owed anyone an explanation. Theatrical productions Jonathan Frum is one of the major Lovian play writers and made a total of three theatrical pieces. He also cooperated on various other scripts, mostly as an advisor. Frum his most known play is The Fruit Picker, in which he alleges seasonal work in the agricultural sector. The play focuses on a Brazilian family that moved to Lovia to work in the fruit pick. The family has to deal with abuse, poverty, racism and sexual intimidation. His other two plays are How The Life Of Mister Grey Ended and Hotel Portugal. The first one is a monologue about an accountant that gets involved in a criminal investigation and is performed by Frum himself. Hotel Portugal is a rather surrealist play that is entirely located in just one hotel room. The play shows a lot of violence and cruelty and got mixed critics. Jonathan Frum also wrote and directed a movie, Lucid Dreaming. The film has the same surrealist and uncomfortable feel as Hotel Portugal and explores the boundaries of reality, possibility and the dangers of wishful thinking. Lucid Dreaming was an independent production and knew a moderate theatrical success. It got a lot of attention upon release and is considered to be the number one Lovian cult movie. In 2010, after a period of relative silence around his figure, Frum has published a new playwright called Flowers, Birds And Atrocities. The play starts with an ideal neighborhood scene but soon after a boy's football lands in the neighbor's garden the entire play starts to culminate to a high level of abomination. Chronological oversight A chronological oversight of Jonathan Frum's productions: * The Fruit Picker: drama play about injustice in lower social circles, economic deprivation and plain abuse. (1984) * How The Life Of Mister Grey Ended: a sinister monologue that focuses on corruption in several legal institutions. (1991) * Hotel Portugal: a surrealist play that shows the cruelty of man in a situation where chaos is the only constant. (1994) * Lucid Dreaming: movie that explores how human suffering and corruption come forth from desire without boundaries. (1999) * Flowers, Birds And Atrocities: play on inhuman acts of civilized people that goes back to Frum's original style. (2010) Style and themes The five productions Frum made are characterized by a pessimist view on today's world as well as by a significant emotional distance. Frum never involves the spectator with the feelings of his characters but lets us just observe everything. In most of his plays and in his movie there lies a focus on one main character which is confronted by something or someone and is so brought to doubt. This person then becomes juxtaposed to the general mass and has to choose between right or wrong. Of course the wrong decision is made and the negative effects become visible. One exception to this narrative is The Fruit Picker, Frum's first play. Recurrent themes throughout his work are vengeance, greed, lust, absurdity, abuse and violence. Remarkable is that though his stories begin in an almost idyllic manner, they always end in complete tragedy. Frum also tends toward a surrealist setting in some of his works, like in Hotel Portugal and Lucid Dreaming, and also drew upon existentialist themes for The Life Of Mister Grey. Technically, the plays by Frum are real gems: a lot of attention went to the décor, music and lighting. Frum also experimented with the narrative form of his stories, using a lot of monologues and different tempos. Gallery of theatrical posters Image:The_Fruit_Picker.png| The Fruit Picker Image:How_The_Life_Of_Mister_Grey_Ended.png| The Life Of Mister Grey Image:Hotel_Portugal.png| Hotel Portugal Image:Lucid_Dreaming.png| Lucid Dreaming Jonathan Frum Foundation In 2009 Frum started a foundation using his personal fortune. The Jonathan Frum Foundation rewards people and organizations that try to make our world a better and more just place to live in. The award is worth a 5000 USD, which is rather modest compared to other prices of the same kind. Frum argues that 'it is better to reward more people with a smaller price than to give all credit to just one person'. The Jonathan Frum Foundation awards different fields of action such as fighting poverty, ecological measures and intellectual publications. A complete list of all awarded nominees and their contributions: * Harold Freeman: for the first (and only) fair trade initiative in Lovia, Wake Coffee, and his representation of the chances ethnic minorities have in Lovia. * Arthur Jefferson: for his work at the Lovian Freethought Academy and the establishment of the LFA Haiti Fund. * Anti-Fascist League: for its efforts in the struggle against racial prejudices and discrimination. As an indicator of the lack of consciousness, the Jonathan Frum Foundation sent a book packet to the Lovian Congress containing several publications on social issues. The five books included in the packet are: * Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) * Max Havelaar (Eduard Douwes Dekker) * The Great Illusion (Norman Angell) * I'm Only Just A Negro''Original title: ''Ik Ben Maar Een Neger (Jef Geeraerts) * Mother, Why Do We Live?''Original title: ''Moeder, Waarom Leven Wij? (Lode Zielens) References Category:Person Category:Playwright Category:Film director Category:Artist Frum, Jonathan Category:2011 Member of the Congress